Footsteps of Fear
by HermioneLumos
Summary: A new house is supposed to be exciting, but for Zoe, Nick and their daughter Jess, its far from it! Please review. If anyone else has done a scary type of fanfic, tell me...
1. Chapter 1

Jess looked up in shock as her, her mother Zoe, and her ather Nick, pulled up outside their new house. It was huge.  
"How much did this cost!" Jess said, looking up in awe.  
"A lot." Nick laughed. "But less than we thought."  
"Really?" Jess asked, and Zoe nodded. "How much?"  
"Enough." Zoe smiled. "They gave it to us cheap because its been empty for years. All the furniture is there, its been cleaned, and it should be a nice house."  
"Awesome!" Jess beamed as she walked up to the door. She looked into the gardens as Nick got out the keys and opened the door.

The interior was definatly not modern, as there was wood everywhere. There was stone floors, a huge wooden dining table, and it was very spacious. The removal truck was still to arrive, so soon the place would look more full.

The only thing that looked out of place was the kitchen. This had been redone as the appliances were old. There used to be an old metal stove, but now there stood an oven, a microwave, and a gas cooker. Zoe liked the modern kitchen, as she would know how to use everything.  
"This is actually so big." Jess said, walking around. She entered the living room and it was near empty, but not quite.

There were no chairs or sofas, no tables, but there was an old huge mirror sitting on the wall. There were odd markings burnt into the wooden border.  
"Mum?" Jess shouted, and she heard the clicking of her mothers heels.  
"Yes?" Zoe replied.  
"Look at the mirror." Jess said.  
"Oh, I thought this was supposed to be an empty room..." Zoe said, but then shrugged. "Oh well, if someone loved it so much, it would have gone with them when they left."  
"Maybe they forgot it?" Jess suggested, as she walked up to the mirror and traced the boder with her fingers. She got dust onto her hand, so she wiped it off, transfering the dust to her jeans.  
"They would have come back by now." Zoe shook her head. "There hasn't been anyone living here for at least twenty years."  
"Really?" Jess asked. "Why wouldn't anyone want to live here?"  
"I don't know." Zoe said. "I think its beautiful."  
"And its huge!"  
"You like it because you get a big bedroom." Zoe laughed. Jess had a really small bedroom in the old house, so she wanted to give her a bigger one this time. Maybe she would finally keep it tidy if she was happy with it.  
"Yeah!" Jess said. "My other one was tiny!"  
"I know." Zoe replied. "Go and see it if you want."  
"Which one is it?" Jess said, getting increasingly excited.  
"Second on the right." Zoe said, and Jess was gone.

While Jess went upstairs, Zoe looked at the mirror. She thought it was a bit strange, seeing as it was so clean and so pretty. Why would anyone want to leave that behind? Oh well, someones loss, their gain!

Jess gasped as she walked into her bedroom. It was perfect! It did need painting and her furniture needed putting in, but the size was great. She shut the door behind her so she could get looking around.

Considering how long no one had been in there for, there was surprisingly little amount of spiders. She was glad as she hated the things. She found the odd few, so she would have to get Nick to get rid of those for her.

She saw that there was a little bump underneath what looked to be a strip of wall paper. She felt it, and it was hard. She knocked the wall and it sounded as if she was hitting a wooden door. If she hit another side of the wall, it sounded fine.

She slowly peeled away the wall paper, so she didn't rip it, and there was in fact a small wooden door. She would have to crawl to go in.

Inside, it was small and she couldnt stand up. She looked around and she saw a huge drawing of the same symbol that was on the side of the mirror. She would have to try and find out what it was.

In the corner of the narrow tiny room, there was an old candle, and a wooden cross. Jess thought this was strange, so she decided to leave. As she was crawling out her mother walked in through the door and started laughing.  
"What are you doing?" Zoe asked, and helped Jess out.  
"I saw it was lumpy under the wallpaper, and it was easy to peel back and I found a door." Jess said. "I can use it as an extra storage space."  
"You'll need it with the amount of stuff you have." Zoe said, kneeling down to look inside. "Its that symbol again."  
"I know." Jess said. "I kind of like it."  
"Me too." Zoe said. "Its weird."  
"Yeah." Jess smiled. "But can I get rid of the cross and the candle?"  
"Yeah." Zoe said, going in further. She pulled out the cross that was stood up against the wall, and the candle that was stood next to it. It was almost as if it was supposed to be there.

She took it out and got up. Zoe dusted off her skirt and walked out, leaving Jess to look through her room again.

"Whats that?" Nick asked, looking at what Zoe was carrying.  
"Oh, they were in Jess's room in a little cupboard hideout thing." Zoe said.  
"The people who gave us the house told us to keep stuff that we find in the basement." Nick said and Zoe looked confused.  
"Why can't we throw them out?" Zoe asked.  
"Don't know." Nick shrugged. "Owners told us not to. No idea why."  
"Oh, well i'd better do it then." Zoe said, and opened the door and walked down the steps into the basement. She put the items in a wooden box and walked back up to Nick, and shivered.  
"Cold?" Nick asked.  
"Yeah its cold down there." Zoe said and rubbed her arms. Nick walked over to her and gave her a hug.  
"Better?" He asked.  
"Yeah." Zoe held him tight. "This house is great. I love it already."  
"I like it too. I like all the little things they left behind. Makes it all unique." Nick explained.  
"Yeah, but some of it we don't need." Zoe said.  
"Thats why we put it in the basement." Nick smiled.  
"Ive never had a basement before." Zoe said. "I think it would be good for doing washing down there."  
"Yeah." Nick said. "Im going to start looking through all the old boxes down there tomorrow."  
"Really?" Zoe asked.  
"Yeah, its intriguing isn't it?" Nick asked. "I mean, that stuff could have been there for years! Think of how much its all worth..."  
"I thought we had to keep it in the basement?" Zoe said, confused.  
"We bought the house and everything in it, so why can't we?" Nick said.  
"So I could have thrown out the candle and cross?" Zoe asked.  
"Yes but I wanted to keep it." Nick smiled and kissed Zoe. "This house is perfect."  
"It is, isnt it?" Zoe said, snuggling into him.

But the house, wasn't as perfect as what they really thought...


	2. Chapter 2

Later that day, boxes of stuff from their old house had been dropped off aswell as their furniture. Jess took all of her stuff and put it up in her room, and her dad helped her with the furniture. Once he had gone downstairs, Jess beganto un pack the boxes.

She put all her clothes in her drawers and her wardrobe, and then put the TV on top of the drawers. She put her laptop on her desk along with a lamp, and put boxes of stuff underneath her bed.

When she was almost finished, her mother called her from the bottom of the stairs.  
"Jess, dinner!" She called, and Jess realised just how hungry she was. Her stomach growled and she ran down the stairs to find her favourite food, pasta, waiting for her. Zoe saw her face light up.  
"Hungry, I take it?"  
"Yeah!" Jess said, sitting down and tucking in. "Mmmm."

They all sat and ate when a draft came into the dining room. Jess's hair blew about and she shivered.  
"Cold?" Her mother asked.  
"Yeah there was a draft." Jess said, putting her hair back in place.  
"There was?" Zoe asked. "I didn't feel one."  
"Me either." Nick shook his head.  
"Oh." Jess said, getting up.  
"Where are you going?" Zoe asked, confused.  
"Checking the back door, see if its open." She shouted.  
"We haven't been out the back yet. It wouldn't be open." Nick laughed.  
"Oh." Jess sat back down and began to eat again. "Okay."

After dinner, Jess went upstairs to finish off putting stuff in her room, and when she was done, she got her laptop from her desk and sat sprawled out on her bed, and turned it on. She was going to find out what that marking was on the wall and the mirror.

When her laptop had booted up, she went to the internet and went to a search engine, and she typed in what she saw.

'Upside down star in a circle'

She clicked on the first link that came up, and it was an answers page. Someone was describing the same thing, and she looked at the answer.

'What you are describing to me sounds like the Pentagram, but upside down. A pentagon normally brings good luck, but when upside down, it invites spirits into the home.'

As Jess was reading, she could swear that her room got colder, so she got up and got a cardigan out. She put it on, and sat back down on her bed, and looked around. She couldn't help feeling a little bit anxious at what she had just read, but she didn't believe in ghosts.

She went back to google and typed in 'upside down pentagram' and sure enough it came up. She looked through numerous websites where it told her that the symbol represented Satan and it invited him to wherever it was inscribed.

While she was searching, she heard someone walked up the stairs. They walked up to her door, and then stopped.  
"Mum?" Jess asked. "Dad?" She recieved no answer.

She got up, and cautiously got up to open her bedroom door. She opened it slowly, and again felt the draft. But, there was no one stood by the door. Jess looked down the corridor and there was no one there, so she decided to go downstairs.  
"Mum?" She asked as she heard her parents in the living room.  
"Yeah?" She replied. Jess walked in and they were sitting cuddled up on the sofa drinking wine. Jess picked up her glass and had a sip. She mever normally minded. "Get yourself a small glass if you want some."  
"Nah." Jess said. "Did you go upstairs like two minutes ago?"  
"No." She laughed. "Why?"  
"Oh, I heard someone up there." Jess said. "Never mind."  
"Your dad went out to the kitchen to get wine." Zoe said. "Maybe you heard him." Jess shook her head.  
"No." She said. "They stopped outside my door."  
"They did?" Zoe said. "Weird."  
"So it wasn't any of you?" Jess asked, heart pounding a little more.  
"Nope." Nick shook his head. "I can assure you I didn't go upstairs."  
"Okay." Jess said, looking a little bit frightened.  
"Don't worry Jess." Zoe said. "There's no one there. We would have heard them."  
"I guess so." Jess said, slowly making her way upstairs.

"Jess looked scared, didn't she?" Nick said to Zoe, thinking of how Jess paled when they said no one went upstairs.  
"Yeah." Zoe said. "She went white!"  
"Hmm." Nick said, thinking.  
"What?" Zoe asked. "What 'hmm?'"  
"Just wondering why she heard footsteps." Nick shrugged.  
"She's probably just paranoid."  
"But it is possible that she heard them..." Nick said. "This house is old."  
"Nick, ghosts don't exist." Zoe said.  
"How do you know?" He asked.  
"They just don't." Zoe said. "Seriously Nick. Don't be stupid."  
"Im not." Nick argued. "I just want to know."  
"Well, its not ghosts." Zoe said, and went back to drinking her wine.

Upstairs, Jess was sitting in her room, becoming increasingly paranoid. So there was no one there, outside her door. But she wasn't just hearing things. She heard the footsteps loud and clear.

She put in her headphones and sat on her laptop for an hour or so before her parents came upstairs, as they were going to bed. They walked in.  
"Wow." Zoe said. "You did a good job with this room."  
"Thanks." Jess said, taking out her headphones.  
"We havent unpacked yet." Nick laughed.  
"I have."  
"Everything?" Zoe asked.  
"Yup." She said. "Everything."  
"Okay." Zoe nodded. "Well, we are going to bed."  
"Okay. Me too I guess." Jess said, walking to the bathroom.

She thought about the pentogram as she brushed her teeth. Should she tell her parents? They seemed like they didn't care about the footsteps, so would they care about the pentogram? Well, she decided she was going to tell them, whether they believed her or not.


	3. Chapter 3

In the night, Jess woke up cold. She looked around, and her duvet was no longer on her bed. She looked around but she couldn't see it.

She flicked on her bedside lamp and surprisingly, her duvet was on the other side of the room in front of her wardrobe. She sat there, still half asleep, for a few minutes before getting up and grabbing her duvet.

Soon enough, she had made her bed again, and fell asleep. She still wondered how it managed to get from one side of the room to another.

The next morning, she woke up to her mother banging on the door.  
"Jess wake up." Zoe said, and Jess looked at her clock next to her. It was nearly eleven. "Jess!"  
"Im up im up." She muttered before wiping her eyes. After doing so, she realised her duvet was on the other side of the room again. She sighed, picked it up, and put it on her bed again.

"What were you doing last night?" Zoe asked. "I heard you moving about."  
"Me? I didn't do anything!" She said. "I woke up cold, and my duvet was on the other side of the room!"  
"That was probably what I heard." Zoe said.  
"I told you, I didn't do it." Jess said.  
"Then who did?"  
"I dunno." Jess said. "I just remember putting my duvet back on."  
"Maybe you sleep walked?" Zoe suggested.  
"I don't sleep walk. Never have before." Jess said, tucking in to her cereal.  
"But you don't know..."  
"I don't sleep walk!" She said. "Put a camera in my room if you like! See for yourself!"  
"Jess." Nick said, warning her to calm down.  
"Sorry, its just I know it wasn't me." Jess said. "And the footsteps. I heard them."  
"Jess theres no such thing as-"  
"Ghosts?" Jess cut her mother off. "Did I say they were ghosts?"  
"No, but-"  
"Well, that makes me thing you suspect it too." Jess smirked.  
"I don't think there are ghosts there." Zoe sighed.  
"Then why were you going to say it?"  
"Me and your dad were talking last night." Zoe said. "We just came across the subject."  
"Right, well I think its time I told you about my 'research'." Jess said.  
"Research?" Nick asked, and Jess nodded.  
"Yup." She said. "You know that marking, the one on the mirror?"  
"Yeah..." They both said.  
"Well, it was drawn on the wall of the little cupboard in my room." Jess said. "So I searched it on the internet, you know 'upside down star in a circle'..."  
"And..." The both said, and Jess was trying not to laugh.  
"It says its a satanic symbol. Welcomes 'spirits' into the home." Jess said. "Try and explain that."

She had her prents speechless.  
"There are no such things as ghosts." Zoe said.  
"How do you know?" Jess asked.  
"I don't!" She said, getting a little upset. "This is a great house. No one has lived in it for years. Its perfect. Im not letting a 'ghost' ruin it. There is no such thing as ghosts!"

As Zoe said the word loudly, another huge cold draft came in through the dining room, and this time they all felt it.  
"Did you feel that?" Jess asked, and Nick nodded, looking at Zoe.  
"I opened a window." She said. "Thats all."  
"But its warm outside." Jess smirked, and Zoe sighed.  
"There are no such thing as ghosts Jess!" Zoe told her firmly, and Jess held up her hands.  
"Fine. Believe that." She said. "But i'll prove that im not sleep walking."  
"How?" Zoe asked.  
"Im putting a camera in my room." Jess said. "Then youll see."  
"You don't have a camera." Nick shook his head.  
"Yeah, webcam." Jess said. "I can leave my laptop on all night and film it." Nick shrugged at this.  
"Cool." He said. "I look forwards to seeing this ghost."  
"Nick. There is no ghosts." Zoe shook her head.  
"We won't know unless we try to find them." Jess said to her mother and walked upstairs, not waiting for a reply.

During the day, Jess helped her dad sort through a few of the boxes in the basement.  
"Ive never been in a basement before." Jess said, looking in one box.  
"I have." Nick said. "But i've never had my own."  
"Oh right." Jess said, seeing a gold chain glint in the corner of the box. "Whats this?"  
"Whats what?" Nick said, walking over to join her. She pulled out the chain and it turned out to be a locket of some sort.  
"Oh, pretty!" Jess said, looking at it. "Can I have it?"  
"Sure." Nick shrugged. "Does it open?" Jess tried but couldnt open it. "Let me try."  
"It won't open." Jess said, seeing her daad struggle.  
"Ill try and get it open with something later. You can keep it for now."  
"Cool." Jess said, and put it on.  
"Suits you." Nick said, looking at it.  
"I like it." Jess laughed, and they continued looking through the boxes.

"Where did you get that?" Zoe asked Jess as they came out of the basement.  
"Oh, found it in a box down there." Jess said. "Pretty, huh?"  
"Yeah it is." Zoe said, holding it and looking at it. "I made you both tea by the way."  
"Oooooh thanks!" Jess said, walking over and picking up her mug. She went into the living room and placed the mug down on the floor next to where she was sitting.

Zoe and Nick joined her in the living room and they decided to watch some TV before Zoe went to get dinner.  
"I think its a good idea that we have a house warming party." Zoe said. "What do you think?"  
"Yeah." Jess said. "I can have some friends over."  
"Sure." Zoe said, and looked at Nick.  
"Yeah I suppose." He smiled and sipped his tea, and looked over at Jess when he heard her scream.

Her tea, that had been placed to the left of her left foot, had spilt but it had gone all over her foot.  
"Ouch." Jess said, holding her foot.  
"Wash it under cold water." Nick said, helping Jess up and over to the sink. He filled up a bucket of water while Jess's eyes filled with tears as her foot hurt from a burn. Nick put the bucket down and Jess sighed with relief as the cold water hit her foot.  
"Its already blistering." Zoe said, coming in and having a look at it. Jess loved having parents as Doctors sometimes. "We need to dress it properly."  
"Ill drive her up to the ED later." Nick said. "You come if you want. We can invite some of them to the house warming thing."  
"Sure." Zoe said, and gave Jessa tissue. "You have to be careul Jess."  
"I know!" Jess said. "I didn't touch the mug!"  
"You probably kicked it." Zoe said. "But don't worry."  
"I didn't kick it." Jess shook her head. "I put the mug to the left of my left foot. If i'd have kicked it, it would have gone the opposite way. Not onto my foot." Nick looked bewildered.  
"She has a point." He said quietly.  
"It was an accident." Zoe said. "End of."  
"No, I didn't do it!" Jess said, making her cry even more.  
"I said, end of." Zoe said, and walked off, so Jess put her foot back in the water.

Once Zoe was gone, Jess spoke to her dad.  
"You believe me, don't you?" She asked.  
"Well, I don't see how you could have done it." Nick said. "Im not too sure on the whole ghost thing yet."  
"Well, i'm certain that its not only use three living here." Jess said, making Nick think for a while.

Was she right?


	4. Chapter 4

Driving to the ED, Jess was holding her foot that Nick had temporarily wrapped up in a bandage. It was painful to her, and she was trying to hold the tears back.

Zoe had decided to come with them, as Jess was a little bit distressed, and she hadn't been out of the house all day. She would personally ask the staff to come to the party.

They arrived at the ED and Jess didn't want to walk on her sore, blistering foot. Nick pulled her onto his back and carried her in.  
"Nick." Charlie said, seeing Jess's foot bandaged. "What happened?"  
"Burnt her foot." Nick said. "Which cubicle?"  
"Three please." Charlie replied. "Sam can do it."  
"Okay." Nick said, putting Jess on the bed.  
"Ill be back in a little while." Zoe said. "Hope it goes okay Jess."  
"Thanks." Jess replied, and watched Zoe walk off.  
"Im going to go and get a coffee." Nick said as Sam walked in. "Ill leave you in Sams capable hands."

"Right." Sam said, slowly taking the bandage off of Jess's foot. Jess winced. "Oooh I bet that hurts! How did you do that?"  
"A ghost knocked over my tea." Jess laughed.  
"Really?" Sam asked, not believing her.  
"Yep." Jess nodded.  
"So how are you liking your new house?" Sam asked, changing the subject.  
"Oh, its good. Its big and old, and haunted."  
"Im sure its not." Sam shook her head.  
"Oh really." Jess said. "Cold drafts, my duvet flying off my bed in the middle of the night, it burning my foot."  
"That was your tea." Sam smiled.  
"Im going to tell you what I told my mum." Jess said as Sam began to wash the burn. "I put it to the left of my left foot, yeah? So it would have been there." She pointed.  
"Yeah..."  
"Mum said I kicked it." Jess shook her head. "But it fell towards my left foot, so I would have had to kick it that side, not the side my foot was on."  
"Hmm." Sam said, thinking it was strange. "Are you sure you didn't cook it?"  
"Yep." Jess said. "I know there is ghosts in that house. There is this symbol that I keep seeing. It was written on the wall and burnt into the mirror. Its like an upside down star in a circle."  
"Oh ive heard of that." Sam said.  
"Pentogram." Jess said. "Googled it."  
"Thats it." Sam said, as she began to bandage her foot up.  
"Aaah." Jess winced as the bandage came into contact with her blistering skin. "Well, it apparently brings ghosts in, and its a symbol of satan."  
"Well thats not good." Sam said, thinking what it was doing in their house.  
"Nope." Jess said. "Im setting up a camera in my room to prove to mum thats its not just me. She doesn't believe me."  
"She doesn't?"  
"Nope. Ever since I asked her about the footsteps."  
"Footsteps?" She asked, intrigued.  
"I was on my laptop looking up the pentogram thing, and I heard footsteps go up to my door, then they stopped outside." Jess explained. "I opened the door, and there was no one there. Was a cold draft though."  
"Creepy." Sam said.  
"Yeah." Jess said. "Mum seems convinced that it was dad but he was in the kitchen."  
"Oh right." Sam said, finishing up. "Well, thats it. Done."  
"Are you coming over tomorrow night?" Jess asked.  
"For what?"  
"House warming party." Jess said. "Thats why mum came here."  
"Oh no. I haven't spoken to her yet."

Zoe walked in then.  
"You all done?" Zoe asked Jess.  
"Yeah, just told Sam about the house warming party." Jess smiled.  
"Oh yeah!" Zoe said. "Can you come? Tomorrow at seven."  
"Sure i'll be there." Sam said. "I finish at six thirty so thats perfect."  
"Great." Zoe said, helping Jess up. Jess put her foot down and almost fell over when pain shot through it. Sam grabbed her as Jess put her foot down gently. It still hurt.  
"Maybe crutches would be a good idea if it hurts that much." Sam said, looking at Jess in concern.  
"Yeah." Zoe said as Sam went off to get them. Jess winced again as tears began to form against her will.  
"Gosh." She said, wiping them away. "That hurt."  
"I bet it did. It was a bad burn." Zoe said.  
"So who's coming to the party then?" Jess asked to keep her mind off her foot.  
"Lenny, Linda with Britney but not Joe, Tess, Big Mac, Noel, Tom and Sam." Zoe said.  
"Is Dylan coming?"  
"Nope." Zoe said. "Said he had more important things to do."  
"Sounds like Dylan." Jess laughed, as Sam returned with the crutches.  
"They will take a bit of getting used to." Sam said.  
"I know." Jess said. "My friend was on crutches before and I only just managed to use them."  
"Well now you have a lot of time to practise." Sam smiled as they stood up to leave. "Ill see you tomorrow."  
"Cool." Jess said.  
"Bye Sam." Zoe smiled.  
"Bye." Sam waved as Jess swung out on her crutches.

Back at home, Jess was happy to collapse onto the sofa and sigh in relief. Her dad bought her a mug of hot chocolate.  
"Best not put this one down..." Nick said worriedly. He wasn't sure what had happened before.  
"Don't worry." Jess said. "I don't want to be burnt again."  
"Thought so." Nick said, and sat and watched her while she drank it.  
"Dad." Jess said. "Im fine."  
"I just don't want anything to happen again." He said. "Sorry."  
"Well i'm fine." She smiled at him and showed him her foot. "See?" He laughed.  
"Yes I know." Nick said. "But I just don't know how long it will last."  
"Me either." Jess said, slightly worried.  
"Oh well. Its all over now." Nick said.  
"Yeah with the burn." Jess snorted. "Might get worse."  
"I doubt it." Nick said. "Even if this house is haunted, ghosts can't do much."  
"Well they managed this, didn't they?" Jess asked.  
"Hmmm." He said, getting lost in thought.

They had a late dinner and then went up to bed. Nick helped Jess set up the camera, and she left the laptop plugged into its charger over night to make sure it recorded everything. Jess got ready for bed and then her mother and father kissed her goodnight.

She hoped she got some footage. Anything to prove to her mother that it wasn't her making this stuff up.

She got into bed, unaware of what really happened at night, but she was soon to find out.


	5. Chapter 5

The next morning, Jess woke up and saw that her duvet, yet again, wasn't on her bed. She suddenly remembered what she had done over night. She looked at her laptop and was shocked.

The laptop had been shut, by someone or something. She just hoped that the laptop didn't shut to early. She would have liked to see something.

She opened it, and fast forward it or a while until it got to around two oclock. She saw herself get up, grab her duvet, and then walk over to the other side of the room. Then, she looked at the laptop, stood there and stared at it for exactly three hours. Jess jumped after this, because she continued to look at the laptop, and even though she was meters away, the laptop had slowly shut, cutting off the recording.

"Catch a ghost?" Nick said, opening her door and making her jump.  
"Not quite." Jess wiped her eyes as she was still tired.  
"What?" Nick asked.  
"Watch!" She played it, and he looked at her.  
"Thats weird." He laughed.  
"I know!" Jess said. "I was standing still, staring at the camera for EXACTLY three hours."  
"That explains why you slept in." Nick said.  
"I slept in?" Jess yawned.  
"Yeah!" Nick said. "Its nearly lunch time!"  
"Ugh." Jess groaned. "Wait look, I didn't show you the end. This is creepy."  
"What is it?" Nick asked, and his eyes widened when he watched the laptop slowly shut.  
"I didn't shut it." Jess said. "I was meters away."  
"I, I can see that." He said, running his hand through his hair.  
"Believe me now?" Jess asked.  
"Never said I didn't before." Nick said. "On those programs like most haunted, they say that children are more effected than adults..."  
"And I am the youngest here." Jess said. "Can I show mum this?"  
"Sure but expect her to make up an excuse. You know what she's like." Nick laughed. "Ill go and get her for you."

A few minutes later, Zoe was coming up the stairs and she brought up a cup of tea for Jess.  
"Here." Zoe said and put the tea down. "You slept in today!"  
"I know." Jess yawned. "Want to see why?"  
"Not...really." Zoe said.  
"Ah!" Jess said. "You're watching this!" Zoe groaned.  
"Fine. Make it quick."  
"Can't. Its like five minutes long." Jess said and clicked play. Zoe didn't say anything until about half way through.  
"How long were you stood there? In real time?" She asked.  
"Exactly three hours."  
"And you can't remember anything?"  
"Nope." Jess said and yawned again.  
"Still tired?" Zoe asked concerned.  
"Yes but look." Jess said, and Zoe's eyes widened at the video. "Believe me yet?"  
"Sleep walking." Zoe shook her head. "I told you you were doing it." Jess couldn't believe her.  
"What normal person sleeps with their eyes open standing at a spot for exactly three hours?" Jess asked.  
"You..." Zoe said shakily but Jess didn't hear the nerve in her voice.  
"I didn't have a choice in the matter did I?" Jess said. "I would have liked to-" She yawned again. "-have slept properly."  
"Well its done now." Zoe said, walking out of the room.  
"Mum!" Jess shouted.  
"Your lunch is nearly ready." She replied and clopped downstairs in her high heels. Jess sighed, saved the video and turned off her laptop.

She got dressed, put on the necklace she found yesterday, and went down to get her lunch. She yawned again, and Nick looked at her.  
"Your lunch is there." Zoe said to Jess, looking at the bags under her eyes.  
"Cool. Thanks." Jess replied and sat at the table and began to eat.

When she was done, she went in the living room to watch some TV. She found something she wanted to watch, and before she knew it, she had fallen asleep. Nick walked in and saw her, so he walked back into the kitchen.  
"She's actually exhausted." He said to Zoe. "She's asleep in there." He kissed her cheek.  
"I know." Zoe said.  
"Did she show you the video?"  
"Yes, and I take it she showed you too?" Zoe sighed as Nick nodded.  
"What did you think of it?" Nick asked while putting his arm around Zoe. She looked down.  
"I don't know."  
"What do you mean you don't know?" He laughed.  
"It scares me Nick!" Zoe said, looking at him and making him stop laughing. "It fucking scares me! Im trying to ignore what she's saying because this is the perfect house! I don't want a bunch of ghosts ruining this for us!" Nick didn't expect her outburst.  
"Well." He said softly. "Ignoring them won't make them go away."  
"Well, they haven't done anything to me, have they?" Zoe said. She had a point.  
"True..." Nick said. "But children are more... vunerable."  
"How do you know that?" Zoe asked.  
"I watched a ghost program." Nick laughed. "I wanted to ask you something..."  
"What?" Zoe looked at him scared.  
"I was wondering if I could put a few cameras around... turn them on at night..."  
"Fine." Zoe said.  
"Really? You'll let me?"  
"What harm could it do?" Zoe sighed.  
"None I guess." Nick shrugged. "There will only be three... one in Jess's room, on on the landing upstairs, and one downstairs that gets most of the floor."  
"Okay." Zoe said and forced a smile.  
"I love you." Nick said and hugged her. She wrapped her arms around him and whispered.  
"I love you too." She said, secretly worried about what the cameras would do.

Jess woke a few hours later, and it was now two in the afternoon. She looked at her phone and saw the time and sighed.

She got up and walked into the kitchen to see her mother making tea.  
"Oh your awake." Zoe smiled. "Nice nap?"  
"Yeah." Jess nodded.  
"Want some tea?" Zoe asked.  
"Sure." Jess wiped her eyes, still waking up. "Wheres dad?"  
"Gone out to get some cameras." Zoe sighed.  
"Why?" Jess asked.  
"He wants to catch a ghost." She laughed.  
"Great." Jess smiled.  
"Hmm." Zoe said, putting the kettle on.  
"I wanted him to look at the necklace, see if he could open it." Jess told her.  
"Is it a locket then?" Zoe asked.  
"Yeah I think so." Jess said, looking at it.  
"Can I have a look? I have long nails." Zoe said.  
"Sure." Jess said, taking it off and giving it to her mother. Jess gasped when she opened it almost instantly.  
"See?" Zoe laughed. "The power of nails!" She handed it over and Jess looked at what was inside.

There was a picture that looked to be a few hundred years old... and on the other side, the same marking that was on the mirror. The pentogram.


	6. Chapter 6

"Mum, its the same picture thats on the mirror." Jess said and Zoe looked at it.  
"Oh yeah, so it is." Zoe said, trying to sound positive about it.  
"I think the symbols cool." Jess said, putting the necklace back on.  
"So do I." Zoe said, watching Jess walk upstairs.

She came back down when she heard her dads voice downstairs, and he had come back with the cameras.  
"Where are you putting them?" Jess asked him, looking at one and aking one into her hands.  
"Well, I was going to put one in the corner of your bedroom..." Nick asked. "Is that alright?"  
"Yeah." Jess said. "Ill just make sure I get changed in the bathroom." Nick laughed. "Where are the others going?"  
"Ones going in the kitchen corner, and ones going in the corridor upstairs." Nick said.  
"Oh okay." Jess said.  
"Im going to test them out tonight." Nick said, and he heard Zoe sigh. He chose to ignore her.  
"Cool." Jess said. "Can I got through mine in the morning?"  
"Yeah sure. Gives me one less to do." Nick smiled.  
"Awesome."

A few hours later, the cameras were set up and connected to the computer, and the doorbell rang to signify the beginning of the party. Linda was first to arrive with Britney. Jess was good friends with Britney, so Jess went downstairs to meet them.  
"Hey Jess." Linda said as they both walked in.  
"Woah this is huge!" Britney exclaimed as she looked around. "Wow."  
"I know right?" Jess replied and looked at Britney.  
"Is this house old?" Britney asked.  
"Yeah." Jess said.  
"Cos it looks it on the outside but no way on the inside!" Britney laughed.  
"It was redone before we got here because its been empty for years." Jess smiled.  
"Really?" Britney asked, and thought of something. "Is it... haunted?"  
"I think so!" Jess said. "Let me show you something."  
"Oh what?" Britney asked, intrigued.  
"A video." She said. "Ill show you!"

They both went upstairs and Britney was in awe of Jess's bedroom. Jess sighed as her duvet wasn't on her bed again. She put it back.  
"Why was your bed cover on the floor?" Britney asked.  
"I don't know." Jess said. "I always leave it on the bed, come upstairs and its on the floor!"  
"Woah weird." Britney said. "So this video?"  
"Yeah watch." She played it for Britney.

"Okay, thats creepy!" Britney said.  
"Yeah!" Jess said. "I don't remmeber it at all! I was asleep all night, but I was soooo tired when I got up. And I got up at eleven!"  
"Woah." Britney laughed. "Is that why there is a camera there?" She pointed up.  
"Yeah." Jess said. "Dad believes me, but mum don't."  
"Why not?"  
"Don't know." Jess said, and stood up. Britney stepped back and the floor board came up. It was obviously loose. "Whats that?" Britney picked up the small piece of wood, turned it over and there was numbers and letters on it, with Yes and No on the sides.  
"No way." Britney said. "NO WAY."  
"What is it?" Jess asked.  
"Have you never seen one of these before?!" She asked.  
"No..."  
"People put a glass on it, with their finger on top, and they asked questions and ghost spell out their names and stuff."  
"No way." Jess smiled.  
"Yes way!" Britney said. "We should use it."  
"Really?"  
"Yeah!" Britney said. "See what happens..."  
"Is it safe?"  
"What harm can it do?" Britney asked. "Have you got a glass?"  
"Sure there." Jess pointed.  
"Awesome." Britney said and picked it up. Jess just stood there. "Well?"  
"Okay." Jess said, agreeing. They sat down, each put a finger on the glass, and sat in silence. "What do we do?"  
"Ask it a question."  
"You!" Jess laughed, but she didn't have to.

The glass flew out from under their fingers and smashed on the wall. Both of them shut their eyes and screamed.

When they opened their eyes, everything was a mess. The drawers were on the floor, and wardrobe was open with the contents spilled on the floor, and then Nick, Zoe, and Linda rushed in.  
"Whats going on?!" Zoe exclaimed, seeing the mess. Jess and Britney were just sitting there in shock, putting their hair back into place. "What happened?"

Nick walked over and picked up the board.  
"Where did you get this?" Nick asked them. "Where did you get it?"  
"There." Jess pointed. "It was loose."  
"Did you do anything with it?"  
"We were going to..." Jess admitted. "But then before we could, the glass flew at the wall!"  
"Now thats just stupid." Zoe said.  
"Its true!" Jess and Britney exclaimed. "I didn't see what happened next. I just shut my eyes, and then opened them, and everything was a mess!"  
"Really?" Nick asked.  
"Yes!" Jess said. "Look on the camera if its on."  
"I will." Nick smiled. He might actually have some footage.

They all went downstairs, and everyone else was there.  
"You okay?" Sam asked them both, seeing them both pale.  
"Yes... " Jess sighed with wide eyes. Sam smiled at her but she didn't smile back. She went straight to her dad who was at the computer.

He played back the footage, and sure enough, the girls were telling the truth. Even Nick was a little bit freaked out.  
"Zo?" He called around the corner.  
"Yeah?" She sighed.  
"You might want to see this..." Nick said.  
"Not now." Zoe shook her head.  
"Ill look!" Lenny said, jumping up.  
"Me too.." Sam smiled at Zoe, excited to see what it was, and they weren't disappointed.

"Oh my god." Sam said, and put her arm around Jess while she looked at the screen. Lenny was enjoying himself.  
"Wow." Lenny said, and laughed. "That is creepy."  
"Whats creepy?" Zoe asked, sighing, and Nick played it again.

Zoe was dumbfounded. She couldn't pass this off as anything else. She was shocked, and she looked from Jess to Britney. Both of them looked spooked.  
"You sure you are alright?" Sam asked them again, seeing them both still pale.  
"Yeah." Jess whispered and cleared her throat. "Yeah." Britney nodded.  
"Scared me though!" Britney said, and smiled at Jess who smiled back.  
"And me." Jess smiled.  
"Come on." Nick said. "Ill give you a hand and put everything back."

They walked upstairs, and were surprised with what they saw.

There was no mess. Everything was in its rightful place.


	7. Chapter 7

That night, Jess was creeped out. She didn't want to sleep at all, not on her own.  
"Ill just be next door." Nick reassured. "I promise."  
"But I don't want to." Jess cried. "You saw what happened!"  
"Don't worry!" Nick said. "We have called a priest to come and try and make the 'entity' disappear."  
"I know but i'm still scared!" Jess said. "You saw what it did to me last night."  
"But it used up a lot of energy earlier." Nick said. "You'll be fine."  
"Well if i'm not, then don't blame me." Jess sighed, wiping her eyes.  
"Don't worry, yeah?" Nick said. "If I hear anything, Ill be right in."  
"Okay." Jess said, and Nick kissed her forehead as Zoe poked her head around the corner.  
"Night Jess." Zoe said.  
"Night." Jess replied, and she flicked off the light and they both left.

In the middle of the night, she heard her door slam shut, and she sat upright in bed.  
"Oh my god." She said to herself, before running out of bed and trying to open her door. It wouldn't open. "DAD! DAD!" She screamed, cried and kicked at the door. No one came to her rescue.

The camera caught her stop hitting the door and screaming, but turned to face the wall with a blank expression. Yet again, she stood there for exactly three hours, and stared into space.

But what came next was a mystery. It looked like someone grabbed her by the throat in pushed her down with a big force. Her feet never left the floor, but fell to the ground, stiff. She remained on the floor for the rest of the night.

...

Nick woke up the next morning, and the first thing he did was wake Zoe.  
"Zoe." He shook her.  
"Hmm." Zoe said, coming to her senses. "What?"  
"Jess didn't do anything in the night." He said. "Isn't that weird?"  
"No." Zoe said. "No. She finally had a good night sleep. Thats good."  
"She might not have." He said, throwing himself out of bed. Zoe did the same and followed him into Jess's room.

He walking in and saw her laying on the floor.  
"Jess?" He said, rushing over. "Jess!"  
"Oh my god." Zoe said, kneeling next to her and shaking her. She sighed in relief when Jess began to wake up.  
"What?" Jess said, noticing her throat hurt. "Why am I on the floor?" Her voice was croaky. Nick looked at Zoe who had tears in her eyes.  
"I don't know." Nick said, helping her up. Jess was a bit dizzy. Nick helped her stand up and she was a bit light headed.  
"Woah." She said, swaying onto her mother who propped her upright.  
"Jess?" She looked at her with concern. Jess put her hand to the back of her head. "Are you okay?"  
"I," She began. "My head hurts." She rubbed it. "And my throat." Nick looked at the back of her head and she did have a fairly big bump there.  
"You hit the deck hard somehow." Nick said. "You said your throat hurt?"  
"Yes." Jess said, tilting her head back. There was a bit of bruising there, and Zoe could almost see finger marks. Jess swayed again, and Nick caught her.  
"Lets get downstairs." Zoe said, looking at Jess who looked a bit distant. "Get some tea."  
"Sure..." Jess said, taking shakey steps downstairs to the living room. She layed down and her mother bought her tea while Nick looked through the bedroom camera footage.

"Oh God..." Nick said, whilst watching it. He winced when he saw her hit the floor.  
"What?" Zoe said, leaving Jess in the living room to see what he was talking about.  
"Look..." Nick said, shocked. He showed her the video, of her kicking and screaming, and then watched her walk back and stand there for three hours. Then, Zoe couldn't look when you could see something hit her neck and push her to the floor.  
"Oh my god." Zoe said, tears in her eyes.  
"What?" Jess said behind her, making her jump.  
"Jess! You should be laying down.  
"I know. Just show me the video and then I will lay down." Jess said, and Nick played it for her.

Jess watched the video but couldn't react how she normally would. She rubbed her head where a headache was forming, and when she saw what happened, she winced again. This didn't go unnoticed by Zoe.  
"Lets get you layed down again." Zoe said, and Jess shook her head.  
"Im going to be sick." She said, making a run for the toilet, only just making it. Zoe held her hair back for her.  
"Maybe I should get you checked out."  
"Im fine." Jess said, looking at her mother, and she paled rapidly.  
"Jess?" Zoe said, looking at her worriedly. Zoe gasped as Jess fell towards her, and Zoe couldn't hold her up. "NICK!"  
"What?!" He rushed in, and saw Zoe putting a very pale Jess on the floor.  
"She just passed out." Zoe said, getting the hair out of Jess's face. Her forehead was covered in beads of sweat.  
"Shall I call an ambulance?" Nick asked, and Zoe nodded. She put Jess's feet in her lap to try and get the blood flow up to her head.

Jeff and Dixie walked through the door to the house, rushing as they knew the patient to be was a friend of theirs.  
"What exactly happened?" Dixie asked, assessing Jess's pupils.  
"Last night she got a bumb on the head and had lack of sleep." Zoe explained worriedly. "Ill explain more in the ambulance.  
"Ill carry her in." Nick said, picking Jess up and carrying her outside before putting her on the bed.  
"There is only room for one im afraid." Jeff said. "One will have to drive."  
"Ill drive." Nick volunteered. "Look after her."  
"We will." Dixie said as the back of the ambulance shut.

"Want to explain?" Dixie asked Zoe while Jeff drove.  
"Well, they both seem convinced the house is haunted." Zoe said. Dixie wasn't expecting that response.  
"Is it?" She asked.  
"Im not sure." She said. "They are convinced. The evidence doesn't lie either."  
"So what happened?"  
"Well, I thought the house was perfect, but then things started happening that I couldn't explain. We had a house warming party - you were both invited but we couldn't find you and you obviously didn't get the message - and Jess and Britney went upstairs. They found a ouija board."  
"Ouija board?"  
"Yeah." Zoe said.  
"Whats that?" She asked.  
"A board with numbers and letters used to talk to 'the dead'." Zoe said, and shivered. "Well, we heard a scream, went upstairs, and they were shocked. The glass they had had been thrown across the room and all the drawers and doors were open. I thought it was just them until we saw a video." Zoe explained. "Its hard to explain. Come over later and i'll show you."  
"Sure i'll come back after the shift." Dixie said. "What has this got to do with Jess though?"  
"Well, we went into her room in the morning to find her lying on the floor with a bump on her head and bruises on her neck." Zoe said, begining to cry. "We played back the camera, and she got out of bed after her door slammed shut, kicked and screamed to try and get out, then just walked backwards, stood in the same spot for EXACTLY three hours and then, it looked like she got hit in the throat and she hit the floor. She had been laying there since we found her."  
"Woah." Dixie said, and was about to asked a question but was distracted by Jess who was waking up.  
"Jess?" Dixie said. "You're alright darling. We are nearly at the hospital."  
"Hospital?!" She said, sitting up. "Why?!"  
"Calm down Jess." Zoe said.  
"What happened?!" She said, worried.  
"You passed out." Zoe said.  
"We are pretty sure that you have concussion." Dixie said softly.  
"What?" Jess replied. "How?"  
"You don't remember?" Zoe asked.  
"I remember waking up and banging on the door." Jess said. "Then I can't remember anything else."  
"I'll have to show you when you get home." Zoe said, and pushed Jess back down onto the bed.  
"Im going to be sick." Jess said, and Dixie got her a bowl and held her hair back.  
"You're going to be fine." Dixie said, and Jess looked at Zoe who had tears in her eyes.  
"One minute guys." Jeff shouted from behind the wheel.  
"Okay Jeff!" Dixie replied, and put the bowl down after giving Jess a tissue. Theyarrived at the hospital a few seconds later.

(Just like to say, don't use a ouija board at home! They really can be dangerous...)


	8. Chapter 8

"Jess?" Sam met them at the ambulance. "What happened?"  
"I'll give you one guess." Zoe sighed as they were wheeled in. Nick came running over and put his arm around Zoe.  
"Um..." Sam thought. "Has it got something to do with what happened to Jess and Britney last night?"  
"Correct." Zoe said, as they put her in resus. Zoe and Nick hung back as they knew that they weren't supposed to be there.

"Sam?" Zoe asked, once she had checked her over. "Is she okay?"  
"She's fine. Just has a bit of a concussion and fatigue. Nothing some rest can't fix." Sam smiled, and Zoe walked over to the bed with Nick in tow.  
"I want to go home." Jess said, looking at them. Zoe could see she looked exhausted.  
"Sam, can we take her home?" Zoe asked.  
"I guess so." She shrugged. "She needs rest and fluids. Nothing she can't get at home."  
"Okay." Zoe said, and looked at Jess. Nick helped her off of the bed and supported her.  
"Take care Jess. Be careful." Sam told her.  
"I don't have a choice." Jess replied, and leaned heavily on her dad. Zoe took hold of her hand and they left the ED together.

Zoe sat in the back of the car with Jess and Jess leaned on her shoulder. Zoe played with her daughters hair, and she thought she was a bit quiet. Zoe looked at her and she had fallen asleep.  
"Nick." Zoe whispered.  
"Yeah?" He said.  
"Turn off the radio? She's sleeping." Zoe said.  
"Oh." Nick turned off the radio and looked in the rear view mirror. "She's still pale."  
"I know." Zoe said. "I bet she will want one of your famous hot chocolates when she wakes up."  
"Yes." Nick smiled at the sight in the back of the car before pulling up infront of the house. "Shall we wake her or shall I carry her?" Nick asked, and Zoe smiled.  
"Carry her." She said. "I don't think I can wake her up."  
"Okay." Nick said, and tried to get her out of the car slowly and gently. He carried her across his arms and into the house, and layed her down on the sofa. Then he turned to Zoe who followed them in. "God they get heavy at their age."  
"Well, i'm heavy, and she is almost as tall as me, so you should have known that!" Zoe laughed.  
"Whens the priest getting here?" Nick asked, suddenly remembering. He laughed when the doorbell went straight after he asked. "That will be him."  
"Okay." Zoe laughed and went to answer the door. Nick went with her.

They greeted the priest and they noticed that he looked far from happy.  
"The energy in this house..." He said, walking around. "Im afraid its more than what I can deal with."  
"What?" Zoe asked, a little bit annoyed.  
"Ill try my best but I don't think it will make a difference." He warned.  
"Please try!" Zoe begged. "Look through that door. Look at what it did to my daughter!" He peered through the door and looked shocked.  
"There is a lot of energy coming off of her aswell." The priest said. "Im sorry."  
"Can I show you something?" Nick said, pointing at the computer.  
"I guess. I don't see what harm it would do." The priest shrugged and followed Nick. Nick showed him the footage from last night. He looked scared. "Im afraid this is beyond me."  
"So you can't help?" Zoe asked, eyes tearing up. All she wanted was her house back.  
"No. Im sorry." The priest said, and Zoe let him out. Once he was gone, she broke down.

"Zoe don't cry." Nick said, pulling her into a hug where she sobbed.  
"This house. It was supposed to be perfect. But look what has happened!" Zoe sobbed. Nick looked into her eyes.  
"We will get this sorted. This will be the perfect house." Nick held her and she sobbed.  
"Look at what that monster did to Jess." She cried. "It could have been worse. It could have broken her neck!"  
"But it didn't." Nick said.  
"But it could!" Zoe said. "If anything else happens, I think we should look for a new house."  
"We still have options." Nick said. "We can get one of those ghost hunting groups to put protection on the house."  
"You watch way too much TV." Zoe laughed and wiped her eyes.  
"Well they have been proven to work." Nick shrugged.  
"Okay." Zoe said. "We try them. If you can find any."  
"Okay. Leave it to me to sort." Nick said. "Jeff and Dixie will be here later, won't they?"  
"Yeah." Zoe said. "I said i'd show them the video. They can probably check Jess over for me. I can't concentrate when its her."  
"Thats why family aren't supposed to treat each other." Nick said.  
"I know." Zoe said. "Im going to go and watch some TV."  
"Ill come too." Nick said.  
"We are going to have to share the armchair." Zoe said. "Jess is on the sofa."  
"Oh well. You can sit on my lap." Nick smiled, and they walked towards the lounge.

"Oh wait!" Zoe said. "Let me make some tea first."  
"Oh that sounds good." Nick replied, and he got them some biscuits to go with it.  
"Hmm. Coffee or tea?" She said. "Decisions decisions."  
"I quite fancy coffee." Nick said.  
"Me too." Zoe said. "I didn't have any earlier to wake me up."  
"Okay, coffee it is." Nick said, and helped Zoe make it.

When they walked into the lounge, Zoe went in first and the first thing she saw was the mirror. She saw Jess in it, but she didn't expect to see a dark figure standing over her. It looked like it was reaching out for her neck again.  
"Oh..." Zoe gasped, and the dark mass disappeared. Jess looked as if colour had returned to her skin, making her a little more life like.  
"What?" Nick asked.  
"In...in the mirror!" Zoe whispered. "Did you not see it?"  
"See what?"  
"I saw..." Zoe didn't know what to describe it as. "It looked like a shadow."  
"Where?" Nick asked, confused.  
"It was leaning over Jess!" Zoe said. "It was watching her."  
"Zoe?" Nick asked. "Are you alright?"  
"Im fine!" Zoe said, shocked. "I saw it, in the mirror."  
"Is it still there?"  
"No its gone now!" Zoe said. "When we walked in it disappeared!" Nick saw her and she looked shocked. She wasn't lying.  
"Okay." Nick said. "I think its time we bought some more cameras..."  
"Me too." Zoe said. "Put one in here."  
"I will." Nick said, sitting down and putting Zoe onto his lap.


	9. Chapter 9

In the evening, Jeff came around with Dixie. Jess was still sleeping, and Zoe watched her. She was pale, and had a bit of a fever so Zoe put a cold wet cloth on her forehead. Dixie walked in and sighed.  
"Bless her heart." Dixie said. "How long has she been asleep?"  
"Ever since we got back." Zoe said, turning over the cloth to put the cool side on Jess's face.  
"Well, leave her a bit longer, let her sleep and then ill wake her and check on her." Dixie said, watching Jess sleep.  
"Okay." Zoe said, looking at Jess with concern.  
"Anyway, you said you had something to show us." Jeff said, wanting to see it. He was intrigued by this house.  
"Yeah. Nicks just getting it sorted." Zoe said shakily and walked out of the room. They stood by the computer and Nick played last nights footage for Jeff and Dixie.

"Oh the poor girl!" Dixie said, putting her hand over her mouth. "That must have hurt!"  
"Yeah." Nick nodded. "I found her on the floor in the morning.  
"She she stood there, with no movement, for exactly three hours?" Jeff asked.  
"Yeah." Nick nodded. "Right down to the second."  
"That is creepy." Dixie shivered.  
"Ill go make tea while he shows you the rest." Zoe said.  
"Thanks love." Dixie smiled reassuringly at her. Dixie could see she ws shaken by this whole thing.

Zoe returned with tea for all of them and one for Jess for when she woke up.  
"Zoe this house isn't safe." Dixie said to her, as she bought in the tea. "The videos prove that!"  
"Im not moving again." Zoe said. "This house is perfect. We will get rid of the ghost or whatever it is."  
"But its not doing Jess any good, is it love?" Dixie said softly.  
"No." Zoe shook her head. "But we are getting someone in to sort it."  
"Yeah." Nick said. "In two weeks."  
"Two weeks!?" Zoe gasped. "Thats ages."  
"Which is why, im going to sleep in Jess's room for a night, and she will sleep with you in ours." Nick explained.  
"No." Zoe shook her head. "Im not letting you."  
"Im going to." Nick said.  
"No." Zoe said.  
"I don't think you should Nick." Dixie said.  
"Yeah mate." Jeff agreed. "Thats dangerous."  
"So we let Jess sleep in there instead?" Nick asked, and they had to think.  
"Can't we all sleep in one room?" Zoe asked.  
"Im not supposed to." Nick said. "Ill do it for one night. If its okay, i'll do it again."  
"Okay." Zoe said, and was about to speak when she heard a cough from the living room. Zoe gave Dixie her tea and Dixie walked in to see Jess. Zoe put Jess's tea on the floor by the sofa.

"Hey sleepy head." Zoe said softly and Jess looked at her and coughed again.  
"Hi." Jess whispered and looked at everyone.  
"Dixies going to check you over, okay?" Zoe asked, and Jess nodded. Dixie knelt down next to Jess and checked her pupils and her temperature.  
"Yes, quite a bad concussion." Dixie sighed. "High temperature too."  
"Jess, I bought you some tea in." Zoe said and handed it to Jess. Jess took a sip and looked a bit happier. Zoe laughed. "Is that better?"  
"Yeah." Jess smiled, feeling a bit more awake. She sipped some more of the tea and tried to sit up. Zoe helped her. "I feel a bit better now. My neck doesn't hurt."  
"It doesn't?" Zoe asked, and looked. The bruising had gone. "Theres no bruise anymore..."  
"I had a dream where this woman... she touched my neck and it felt good." Jess said, and Zoe looked at Nick. Nick looked at her, and they knew what had happened.  
"I, I walked in and saw something in the mirror leaning over you." Zoe said. "It must have been helping." Nick looked a bit shocked.  
"Is that even possible?" Jeff asked, looking at Dixie.  
"Well, obviously it is, otherwise it wouldn't have happened." Dixie replied.  
"So why did it hurt you in the first place?" Nick asked, and looked at Zoe.  
"There was someone else in my dream. The womans brother." Jess said. "He was mean."  
"Maybe there is two." Zoe sighed. "Well I thank who ever it was that made you feel better."  
"I think we all do." Dixie said and smiled at Jess who was just finishing her tea.

That night, Jess and Zoe were in the bedroom while Nick was in Jess's. Jess fell asleep almost instantly knowing that she was safe with her mother, but Nick was a bit uneasy. He layed in bed and tried to sleep, and managed after a few hours.

The next morning, Nick woke and felt like he had a good night sleep. He got up, looked in the mirror and there was nothing wrong with him. He went into where Zoe and Jess were sleeping, and found them sleeping. Nick shook Zoe awake.  
"Nick?" She asked, realising it was him. "Are you okay?"  
"Im fine!" He laughed. "Slept well!"  
"You did?" She sat up and Jess moved.  
"Yeah I did." Nick smiled and sat on the bed. He looked at Jess who was just opening her eyes.  
"You okay?" Zoe asked her, and Jess sat up and winced.  
"My, my back." She said, and gasped. "My back hurts!"  
"Lean forwards." Nick said, walking around the bed and he lifted up the back of her shirt.

There were three deep scratches on her back, all of them bleeding. They weren't bleeding much as they weren't deep.  
"Oh dear." Zoe said, and went to get some tissues.  
"What?" Jess asked, eyes filling with tears. "What is it!?"  
"You've got three scratches..." Nick said, and a tear slipped down Jess's face and onto the bed duvet. Zoe returned with tissues.  
"Are, are they bleeding?" Jess sniffed.  
"Yes but, not a lot. Don't worry." Zoe reassured and dabbed the cuts with tissues. "Don't cry Jess."  
"It hurts!" She sobbed and Zoe held her while Nick took hold of the tissues.  
"It will." Zoe said. "It will be fine in a little while."  
"Its not bleeding anymore." Nick said. "Leave your top like that for a little while and it should stop hurting."  
"It stings." Jess wiped her eyes and winced.  
"I know hunny." Zoe said and hugged Jess. "At least you slept better. Are you dizzy?"  
"Yeah I did, and no i'm not." Jess said. "I feel fine apart from my back."  
"Oh thats good." Zoe said. "You might have a bit of a headache but it will go."  
"No." Jess shook her head. "I feel fine. No headache."  
"We will see later." Zoe said, and Jess put her top down.  
"I said keep it up." Nick said.  
"Don't worry it feels fine." Jess stood up and went into her room. She didn't expect the door to slam shut behind her.

"Mum!" Jess screamed as she heard footsteps behind her.  
"Jess? Jess! Open the door!" Zoe screamed and Jess cried.  
"I can't!" She said, and she heard footsteps behind her. She slowly looked behind her and she felt someone pull her legs making her fall forewards. She was being dragged into the tiny cupboard that she had found the other day.  
"Ah!" She cried. "Mum! Dad!"

She could hear her parents shouting but she had already gone through the door. The cupboard door slammed shut, leaving her trapped.


	10. Chapter 10

Jess was banging on the little cupboard door while her parents were banging on her bedroom one. The door wouldn't open, even though it didn't have a lock. She scratched at the door as a pressure was still on her ankle, and she couldn't shake it off.

Zoe and Nick were panicking. Zoe was hysterical, and Nick was trying to think.  
"Im knocking down the door." He said, and took a step back.  
"Be careful!" Zoe cried, and Nick ran at the wall.

The door came off its hinges and fell to the floor. Jess heard the bang, and as soon as she did, the pressure came off her ankle and the cupboard door opened and let her out.

Nick was looking around and began to panic when he couldn't see her. Then, he saw the cupboard move and he ran over. He pulled her out and hugged her. She was sobbing.  
"Shh." He said. "Your safe now." He watched Zoe run over and take hold of her.  
"From now until when the ghost hunter group gets here, we walk around together." Zoe said. "Not alone. We can't have this happen again." Jess was still sobbing.  
"Did it hurt you?" Nick asked, and Jess shook her head.  
"Just where it grabbed me..." Jess sniffed and she looked at her ankle. It was a bit swollen already.  
"Same foot as the burn." Zoe sighed and wiped her own eyes. "Good job we kept the crutches, eh?" Jess nodded in response.  
"Come on." Nick said, helping her up off the floor. "Lets get some ice on it. Can you walk on it?" She tried and nodded.  
"Yeah." Jess said. "But it hurts."  
"Okay." Nick said, and crouched down. "Hold on." He put her on his back, walked down the stairs and sat her on the sofa. Zoe got her an ice pack and applied it.

Jess's eyes flicked up to the mirror when she saw a shadow form.  
"Mum." Jess said. "Mum!"  
"What? What is it?" She looked up to the mirror and saw it.  
"What is it?" Jess asked, scared when it went down to her ankle.  
"Wait." Zoe smiled. "Watch. This is what happened with your neck!"  
"Huh?" Jess asked, looking in the mirror, then sighing in relief when the pain in her ankle disappeared. It was creeping them out though, seeing the shadow in the mirror and not by them. "Aaaah." She sighed with a smile.  
"Whats happening Jess?" Zoe asked.  
"My ankle..." She sighed. "It doesn't hurt anymore."

Zoe looked up at the mirror and the shadow disappeared. Zoe lifted the ice pack and the burn and the swelling had completely gone.  
"Oh my god." Jess said, looking at it.  
"Thank you!" Zoe looked in the mirror. Then Nick came in.  
"Why are you saying thank you?" Nick asked, and looked at the smiles on their faces.  
"That shadow I saw before..." Zoe said. "It came back and look!" She pointed at Jess's ankle.  
"Woah." Nick said. "This house is creepy."  
"Tell me about it." Jess said. "Hopefully the bad one will go..."  
"I hope they do." Zoe said. "I like the nice one."

Jess moved about. "Woah hang on."  
"What?" Zoe asked. "Is something wrong?"  
"My back." Jess said. "It doesn't hurt anymore."  
"Lean forewards." Zoe said, and she lifted the top up. The scratches had gone. There was no proof that they were ever there in the first place.  
"Thank you." Jess said. "Thank you whoever you are." Zoe smiled.  
"I think its best if we go out for the day." Zoe told her. "What do you think?"  
"Yes. Please." Jess sighed. "But I need to get dressed."  
"Ill come with you." Zoe said. "I won't let you go alone."  
"Okay." Jess said, getting up. They walked upstairs together and picked out clothes. They went in to Zoe and Nick's room and Jess got dressed while her mother had her back turned. "Done." Jess said, grabbing her phone and walking out of the house happily.

"So where to?" Nick asked as they all sat in the car.  
"Anywhere." Jess said. "Just anywhere. I don't care."  
"The river." Zoe said. "We can go for a walk by the river."  
"Okay, not that." Jess said. "Thats boring."  
"Then what?"  
"Cinema?" Jess asked.  
"Sure." Zoe replied. "I fancy some popcorn!"  
"Me too." Jess giggled.  
"Cinema it is." Nick said, and drove off.

"What are we watching?" Zoe asked as they neared it.  
"Um..." Jess asked. "Keith Lemon the film?"  
"What age is it?" Nick asked.  
"Fifteen." Jess said. "Im going to be sixteen soon so I can watch it."  
"What about Ted?" Nick asked.  
"Oh yeah!" Jess said. "I want to watch that! Can we?"  
"Sure." Zoe smiled, and they went into the cinema.

About two and a half hours later, they came out and were happy. The film was great, and they had forgotten about their house for the time they were in there.  
"Where now?" Jess asked and smirked. "Mcdonalds?"  
"I am hungry.." Zoe said and looked at Nick. Nick knew both of them were big mcdonalds fans.  
"Fine." Nick said. "But youre paying."  
"Fine." Zoe smiled.

They had a day out, driving around and doing whatever they found, and then had to return home. Jess was nervous. She didn't want anything to happen again.

They walked in through the door and were surprised. Everything was tidy and in its place like what happened with Jess's bedroom the other day.  
"Its as if they want to repay us." Zoe gasped as they walked in.  
"Well, one of them anyway." Jess said. She stayed next to her mother the whole time. She didn't want to move one foot away incase something happened.

Nick was going through the footage of the cameras and hated it when he watched Jess get dragged into the cupboard by the ghost. He didn't realise Zoe was standing behind him.  
"Oh my god." Zoe gasped, as Jess was stood next to her.  
"It was worse actually being there!" Jess said. "If that were you, youd be pooing yourself."  
"Yeah, I probably would." Zoe said. Then Nick played the other video of Jess getting scratched.

She sat up in the bed, and it looked like something his her as she jerked forwards, then layed back down. Then Nick walked in five minutes later.  
"Is that when I got scratched?" Jess asked.  
"I think so." Nick replied.  
"I think its time we got some dinner." Zoe said, and walked off to the kitchen. Jess followed as she felt safer that way.


	11. Chapter 11

They ate dinner in silence, and then they decided to get an early night as they days events had shocked them all. Jess was reluctant, wondering what pain she would be in when she woke up, whether it would be bad or not. But then again, pain was never great, was it?

Jess went into her mothers room and got dressed as her mother did, and Nick made himself comfortable in Jess's bedroom. The camera's were set and ready, recording what was going to happen.

Jess fell asleep quite quickly, as did Nick in the other room. Zoe, on the other hand, was paranoid. She didn't want her daughter getting hurt again, as it hurt herself to watch. She watched Jess sleep peaceful for a while, and must have dosed off herself.

Helfway through the night, Nick sat up in bed, but he was still asleep. He wasn't going to remember this in the morning. He got up, and walked out of the room, and into Jess and Zoe's.

Jess sat up, also not being able to recollect this action later. She got up, out of the bed, and let her dad take her place. From there, Nick layed down and looked to be sleeping, and Jess slowly made her way out of bedroom. She walked until she reached the top of the stairs, and then, she came out of her trance, just as someone pushed her. She screamed as she went tumbling down the stairs.

The scream woke Zoe, and her eyes shot open. She saw Nick in Jess's place, and she began to panic.  
"Nick!" She screamed. "Nick!"

Nick opened his eyes, and the first thing he wondered is why he was in his own bed.  
"Oh god." He sighed. "Where's Jess?"  
"I don't know!" Zoe cried. "I heard a scream!"  
"Lets go." Nick turned on the lights and then walked out into the hallway. "You check downstairs, i'll check upstairs."  
"Okay." Zoe said, watching Nick round the corner. She didn't move for several seconds before finding the courage to do so. She neared the top of the stairs, and then she looked down, horrified at what she saw. "Nick!" She screamed. "Oh my God Nick!"

He came running, hearing her scream like that. Never in the years they had been together had he heard that noise come from her. He looked at what she was looking at, and saw Jess laying at the bottom of the stairs.

He ran down and the first thing he did was check her pulse. There was one, but it was weak. He saw there was blood, and it was coming from her head.  
"Phone for an ambulance. Now." Nick said, panicking at seeing her arm lay in an awkward position. He knew it was broken, and badly.

Zoe was already on the phone, and she was trying to control her crying. She was watching Nick while trying to form coherent sentences. Nick saw her struggling, and went over to help. He took the phone and let Zoe go over to Jess, while he spoke to the operator.

Nick was told that the ambulance was on its way, and he kept his phone to his ear and checked Jess over without moving her too much. He didn't know whether she had any spinal fractures. He checked her pulse again; there was no change. He put his free arm around Zoe, and comforted her until the ambulance arrived.

The ambulance came and whisked Jess away while Nick drove. He was panicking, but he had to keep his mind on the road unless he wanted Zoe to worry even more.

He got to the hospital a few minutes after the ambulance did, and he walked in to see Zoe staring through the resus windows. Nick looked, and he saw her being intubated.  
"Don't worry Zoe." Nick held her, and she sobbed as she tore her eyes away from the window. She leaned in and continued to sob into Nicks chest, and he rocked her slowly.

Nick looked at his watch and it was four in the morning now. He went into the staff room after getting Zoe to calm down.  
"Im getting a coffee, and I want you to get some rest in the relatives room." He told her.  
"No. Zoe." He said. "Please rest. I will wake you up to let you know if something happens."  
"You promise me?" Zoe said, wiping the last of the tears from her eyes.  
"I promise." Nick said, and kissed her. "Ill sit with you in a minute once i've got my coffee."  
"Okay." Zoe said. Nick could see she was exhausted, and he wanted her to sleep without the presence of ghosts.

He walked into the relatives room with his coffee to find Zoe fast asleep laying down on the sofa. Nick sat next to her, and he drank his coffee. He waited, and waited, when one of the doctors came in.  
"We are taking her for a full body MRI and a head and neck CT." He said. "We are concerned for her spine, but there isn't any proof of a break anywhere. We will know more once we get the results."  
"What about her arm?" Nick asked. "That was broken."  
"Yes, it was a pretty bad break." The doctor said. "She will need surgery to fix it once the x-ray for the comes back."  
"Okay." Nick said. "Thank you. Keep me updated please."  
"We will." The doctor said before leaving.

Nick sat there with his coffee, and drank it all. He was now wide awake and didn't know what to do. He held Zoe while she slept and played with her hair, hoping it would comfort him somehow. But it didn't. His heart was still pounding with the nights events as they really had creeped him out.

His thoughts went to the house. They were not staying there until the group had gotten there. He would go back at some point, grab a load of clothes and belongings, and they would stay in a hotel for the meantime. They were not going back to that house.


	12. Chapter 12

The next morning, Nick woke up next to Zoe, and he didn't know he had fallen asleep. He was still holding a half full coffee mug, and he wondered why he was there.

Suddenly it all dawned on him. His house had sent them all there, admitting Jess as a patient. He put his mug down, and then Zoe groaned in her sleep.  
"Zo? Zoe." Nick said, waking her out of her nightmare.  
"Hmmm." She sighed and opened her eyes to see Nick above her. Then she started crying. "Oh God Nick I had a horrible dream."  
"Um." Nick said as he hold her. "What happened?"  
"Jess got hurt." Zoe said. "Hurt badly."  
"Zoe." Nick said, looking into her eyes. "That... wasn't a dream."  
"What?" Zoe asked, and then she realised where she was. She sobbed into Nicks top and soaked it with her tears.  
"Don't cry." Nick soothed and rubbed her back as he held her. "She's going to be fine."  
"Whats wrong with her?" Zoe asked.  
"I fell asleep." Nick said. "Lets go and see, shall we?" Zoe nodded in response and they went to go and find their daughter.

Over night, it was clear that Jess had gone through surgery to fix her arm, but she was no longer on a spinal board. Nick looked at Zoe who was going pale looking at her. He put his arm around her.

Sam was doing a few checks on Jess, checking her blood pressure, when she noticed Nick and Zoe watching.  
"Hi guys." Sam said, and walked up to them. "How are you guys?"  
"Not great." Nick said, yawning. "How is she?"  
"She's stable." Sam said. "She doesn't have a spinal fracture as that was what was queried last night, and she had her arm fixed up in theatre."  
"What about her head?" Zoe asked in a voice that was barely above a whisper.  
"Well, the CT came back showing a bit of swelling." Sam said sadly. "She is in a coma for now, but we don't know when she will wake up. Her pupils are responding too, so we aren't too worried. We think she will make a full recovery, but might have a bit of amnesia."  
"Might?" Zoe asked and sighed. "More like will."  
"You don't know that." Sam said, and saw Zoe begin to cry again. She put her arms around her. "Don't worry. We are doing everything we can."  
"I know." Zoe whispered as Sam pulled out of the hug.  
"She will be fine Zoe." Sam said and smiled. "Im treating her!" Zoe laughed.  
"I know she will be safe in your hands." She smiled, and Sam went out to reception to sort out her other patients.

Zoe sat next to Jess in the chair and watched her chest rise and fall with each breath she took. That was a good sign.  
"Im going to get another coffee." Nick said. "I guess you want one?"  
"Yes please." Zoe said. "Ill stay here."  
"Okay i'll be back in a little while." He reached down and kissed her forehead.

Nick was in the canteen when he came across Lenny.  
"Mr J!" He said. "What are you doing here? I thought you had a week off."  
"I did." He sighed. "Jess had an accident."  
"Oh." He said, shocked. "What happened?"  
"Call me stupid, but a ghost pushed her down the stairs."  
"No way." Lenny said. "The one that was in her room?"  
"Yep." Nick said, buying the coffee.  
"Is she okay?" Lenny asked.  
"As well as you can be with what happened to her." Nick sighed. "Broken arm and swelling on the brain. Could have broken her back but thankfully she didn't."  
"Oh dear." Lenny said.  
"Yeah." Nick said. "I can't let them stay in that house until the ghost is gone."  
"Good plan." Lenny smiled. "Here, let me pay for the coffee." Lenny handed over the money before Nick could do anything.  
"You didn't have to." Nick said.  
"I wanted to." Lenny said. "I'd better get back to work. Give her my wishes."  
"Yes you had." Nick laughed. "Thanks for the coffee."  
"No worries." He said, before Nick watched him leave.

Nick walked slowly back to Jess's room, not in a rush to see his daughter in a hospital bed yet again. He sighed as he reached the room all too fast for his liking.  
"Here you go." Nick smiled as he gave it to her. "Its a treat from Lenny."  
"Lenny bought us coffee?" Zoe grinned.  
"Yes."  
"Thats a first." Zoe sipped it.  
"I know." Nick said. "He wished her all the best."  
"Thats nice of him." Zoe smiled and took hold of Jess's hand. It was warmer than Zoes. "She has warm hands."  
"She's always had warm hands." Nick smiled and put his hand on Zoe's back.  
"I know." Zoe sighed. "I just wish they would move."  
"Me too." Nick said sadly.

After a few minutes of silence and coffee drinking, Nick decided to speak out.  
"Im going back to the house." Nick said.  
"No." Zoe shook her head. "No you're not."  
"I have to go and get you both some things." Nick said. "Im not staying there."  
"Good." Zoe said.  
"We will stay in a hotel until that ghost group get here." Nick said. "Ill get you both some clothes."  
"Will you be alright?" Zoe asked.  
"Im sure I will." Nick said. "It hasn't done anything to me before."  
"Well, it made you sleepwalk last night." Zoe sighed.  
"I know, but its never hurt me." Nick said. "Ill be back before you know it. Trust me."  
"Okay." Zoe said. "Ring me when you get there. Stay on the phone to me the whole time. Got it?"  
"Yes mother." Nick said sarcastically and Zoe hit him playfully on the arm.  
"Im serious." Zoe said and looked down. "I don't know what I would do if you were put in here too."  
"Ill be fine." Nick smiled at her to give her reassurance. "If it makes you happy, i'll ring you."  
"Good." She smiled and kissed him deeply. "Be careful."  
"I will." Nick said, before leaving. Zoe watched him leave and got out her phone, awaiting the phone call.


	13. Chapter 13

Nick pulled up at the house and took a deep breath before finding the courange toget out of his car. Slowly, he opened the front door and took a step inside, leaving the door open. He did as Zoe asked, and dialled her number.  
"Hello? Nick?" She sounded worried.  
"Relax Zoe. Im doing as you asked. I just got to the house." Nick explained. He hated seeing Zoe so paranoid.  
"Is everything okay?" He heard the trembling in her voice.  
"Everythings fine Zoe." Nick laughed. "Don't worry about me!"  
"Why wouldn't I worry?" Zoe asked. "That house isn't safe. You saw what it did to Jess."  
"The house is fine." Nick sighed as he grabbed some cleaning equipment. He had to clean the floor after the events this morning. "Im going to put the phone down and on loud speaker as I am just going to clean the floor."  
"Okay." Zoe sounded a little more relaxed. She heard a button being pressed and then a clink of the phone hitting the floor. "You still there?"  
"I sure am." Nick said and began cleaning. "So any change from Jess?"  
"No." Zoe sighed. "I hope she wakes up soon."  
"You're not the only one." Nick sighed. "But i'm kind of glad she is there and not here. I hope that doesn't sound weird."  
"No, no I understand." Zoe said. "I know, I feel the same. Hows the cleaning coming on?"

Nick told her it was going well then turned to look at his phone when he didn't get a reply. His phone was gone.  
"Crap." He muttered under his breath, got up, and began to search for it. He found it a few minutes later as he could hear Zoe shouting down it. "Zoe, Zo im here sorry."  
"What happened?!" She asked, panicking again.  
"Phone disappeared. I could hear you so I knew where it went." Nick sighed, trying to slow down his heart rate.  
"God Nick I was so worried!" Zoe said into the phone. Nick heard her exhale. "You are alright aren't you?"  
"Im fine." Nick said. "Im going to keep cleaning but im not letting go of the phone this time."  
"Be careful." Zoe warned.  
"I will." Nick said, and got back to cleaning.  
"Talk to me Nick." Zoe said quietly. "I don't like the silence."  
"Um..." He said, thinking of something to say. "What sort of stuff do you want me to bring?"  
"Clothes for one." Zoe laughed. "Deodorants, my perfume... Jess's phone as she will miss that. The laptop..."  
"Okay.." Nick said, standing up. "Im going write it down."  
"Okay." Nick felt better when he heard her laugh.  
"Okay, so clothes, perfume..."  
"Deodorant, jess's phone, laptop..."  
"And..."  
"My book please." Zoe said. "Maybe some of Jess's things."  
"Okay, i'll go and sort it." Nick said, turning around when something shattered over his head.

He shouted in pain and put him hand to his head. He was bleeding. A glass had smashed over him, so he went to look in the mirror. It was quite a deep cut. He could hear Zoe shouting down the phone.  
"Zo, im fine." Nick said.  
"What was that?" She asked. "I heard you shout."  
"Bloody thing threw a glass at me!" Nick said, looking in the mirror and getting tissue.  
"Are you okay?"  
"Im fine."  
"Are you bleeding?!" She sounded panicked so it was best not to lie.  
"Yes, but not a lot don't worry." He was getting some clothes for them both by now.  
"Nick get out of there. Now!" Zoe shouted down the phone. "Please!"  
"Im nearly done." Nick said, getting Jess's laptop and Zoes book. "Just getting Jess's phone and ill be out of here."  
"Nick, now." Zoe said.  
"Im going im going." He sighed, grabbing the bag and heaving it down the stairs.

Nick felt something tug at his feet and he fell backwards, landing heavily on his tailbone. He groaned in pain while Zoe was shouting at him.  
"NICK!" He heard when he put the phone do his ear.  
"Im fine!" He said, frustrated with the pain.  
"What happened?!" Zoe was on the edge of tears, he could tell.  
"I fell onto the stairs."  
"You didn't fall." she said bluntly. "You were pushed, am I right?"  
"Yes." He sighed, and winced as his back hurt. "Look, im out of the house now."  
"Did you hurt yourself when you fell?" Zoe asked.  
"Yeah my backs a bit sore, but its nothing I haven't had before."  
"You coccyx?" Zoe asked.  
"Yes." Nick sighed, opening the boot and putting the bags in. "Knocked it again. Im going to have to go as I can't use the phone and drive."  
"Okay." Zoe said. "Ill let you drive."  
"Okay ill see you." Nick said.  
"Drive safe..."  
"I will. Don't you worry." He said. "Bye."  
"Bye Nick." Zoe sighed, put her phone down and sat waiting for his arrival.

It was a long wait as she was longing for him to arrive. She wanted to take her mind off the wait but nothing could stop her brain wandering back to his.

She gasped as she saw him walk in and saw his head covered in blood.  
"Nick!" Zoe asked, rushing up to him. He was holding his back. "You said you weren't bleeding much!"  
"I wasn't." Nick said. "Its not much."  
"Not much!?" She almost shouted. "You've got a really deep cut there!"  
"Its fine."  
"Get someone to check you out, please?" Zoe asked. "You need stitches in that."  
"Fine." He said, and put the back down. "Can I have a coffee?"  
"If you get your head sorted, ill get you one." Zoe smiled, and pulled him out to cubicles.


	14. Chapter 14

Nick walked into cubicles to be greeted by Tess.  
"What happened to you?!" She asked, shocked. She was used to seeing Mr Jordan around but not as a patient.  
"Oh, cut it on glass." Nick said, hoping she wouldn't ask how as he really didn't want to explain to her.  
"How?" There was the question he had been dreading.  
"Its a long story so im not going to explain in detail." Nick sighed. "Lets just say, it involves a ghost, our house, and a lot of cameras."  
"You have a haunted house?" Tess asked, as if not believing.  
"Yes." Nick said. "Don't look at me like that. I have proof."  
"Do you?" Tess asked with a smile.  
"Yes, and I will show you, once we go back." Nick said. "It put Jess in here."  
"Jess is here?" Tess asked.  
"Yeah!" Nick said. "Bloody ghost pushed her down the stairs!"  
"Oh god is she alright?" Tess asked, and began cleaning the cut on Nicks head.  
"Well, she is in a coma but escaped a broken back. Does that seem okay?" Tess didn't know how to answer.  
"This is deep." She said, looking at the cut. "It will need stitches im afraid."  
"Okay." He sighed.  
"So what else has this ghost done?" Tess asked.  
"Thrown her down, dragged her into a cupboard." He said. "Need I go on?"  
"No.. No." Tess shook her head. "I believe you."  
"Okay, because its done more." He told her. "Ouch."  
"Sorry." Tess said, as she gave him local anaesthetic, and then got on with the stitches.

Zoe walked in with the coffee and handed him one.  
"Thanks." Nick said and sipped it. "Tess didn't believe we have a ghost."  
"I didn't say that." Tess said, concentrating on the stitches.  
"But I could tell." Nick said. "Zoe, I have my phone with me, and I put the videos on there."  
"Really?" Zoe asked. "Give."  
"Alright." Nick laughed and got the phone out of his pocket. She found the videos and showed Tess the one where the ghost threw Jess down.  
"Oh." Tess looked shocked.  
"Wait for it." Zoe said, and showed her the one with Britney and Jess and the ouija board. Tess's jaw dropped.  
"Thats not possible." She shook her head.  
"Well it happened." Zoe said and gulped down some of her coffee. "Believe it or not."  
"So this ghost pushed her down the stairs?" Tess asked. "Thats terrible."  
"I know." Nick said. "Even a priest couldn't help. I got this cut from going to get us some clothes and bits and pieces. We are staying at a hotel until we get a professional group to get rid of it."  
"Good idea." Tess said, finishing off a stitch. "I wouldn't want to stay at the house for the time being. How is Jess?"  
"She's not the best but not the worst." Zoe said. "She has a bit of swelling on the brain that is causing the coma, and a broken arm. She had surgery to fix it. She was lucky she didn't break her back."  
"Yes she was lucky." Tess said, wiping Nicks forehead. "There, all done."  
"Thanks Tess." Nick said, standing up.  
"Woah." Tess said, making him sit back down. "You should know better. Take it easy."  
"Can I at least go and sit with Jess?" Nick asked. "Im fine. Ill tell you iff im not."  
"Fine." Tess said. "But go slow, okay?"  
"Yes." Nick said, and slowly stood up. Zoe and Nick walked over to Jess's room, seeing her still attached to the intubater. Sam was checking her over again.

"When can she get taken off the intubater?" Zoe asked.  
"A little later, when her breathing gets a bit better. Its improving, so maybe tomorrow." Sam told them. "Everything else is fine, so she should wake up after that."  
"Okay thanks Sam." Nick smiled at her. Sam could see they were both worried.  
"Don't worry about anything." Sam said. "We will take her for another CT later to see if there is any change. Im pretty sure the swelling would have gone down a lot by now."  
"Thats good." Zoe said. "Can I go with her?"  
"Sure you can." Sam smiled. "You both can."  
"Great thanks." Nick replied.  
"Is your head okay?" Sam asked Nick, seeing the bandages.  
"Yeah, its fine." He smiled. "Stitches."  
"How?"  
"Ghost threw a glass at me." Nick said. "It smashed."  
"I can guess that part..." Sam said and Nick laughed, then sat down on the chair and Zoe sat next to him. "Do you guys want anything?"  
"Another coffee would be great." Zoe smiled.  
"Yes, coffee please." Nick smiled.  
"Okay ill be back in a minute." Sam said, and left the room.

A few minutes later she returned with two mugs and handed them both to them.  
"Thanks Sam." Zoe smiled.  
"Thank you." Nick said, taking his.  
"No problem. Need anything else, give me a shout." Sam said, and walked out to cubicles.  
"Sams great." Zoe said once Sam had left. "Shes so nice."  
"I know." Nick grinned. "She makes good coffee."  
"Look at her." Zoe said, making Nick look at Jess. Jess looked so peaceful. Zoe wanted to just rip out the tube and she would be alright, but she knew she couldnt.  
"I know." Nick sighed. "But all we can do it wait." Zoe looked down at her coffee in her hands.  
"I just wish we had left before this happened."  
"But I thought you loved the house."  
"Yes, loved." Zoe said. "Now I hate it because of what its doing."  
"We will get it back after that group get here." Nick said.  
"But what if they run off like the priest did?" Zoe asked, as a tear fell into her lap. Nick held her chin and made her look at her.  
"Then we will find another, better house." Nick smiled. "That just wasn't the perfect one. We will find it."  
"Can this one be modern?" Zoe asked. "I don't think I can take any more ghosts." She smiled.  
"Sure." Nick smiled, and kissed Zoe. "Don't cry about it. Everything will be alright."  
"I hope so." Zoe smiled as she looked into Nicks eyes. "I love you."  
"I love you too." Nick said and wiped Zoes cheeks. "We will be okay."

(Sorry for no updates at the weekend! I was at my mums and she didn't have wifi. Today is my birthday but I thought you guys deserved an update as you haven't had one since thursday! Sorry about that! Hopefully they will be regular again from now on! :D )


	15. Chapter 15

A week had passed and Jess was still improving. She hadn't woken just yet, and Nick and Zoe were going spare. They wanted her to wake up soon. They didn't know when she would wake, if it would be another week, or day, or hour.

Zoe was sat by Jess's bedside in her lunch break as the had both returned to work. Nick was busy in resus all morning and Zoe was in charge of cubicles. Any spare time she had, she would check on Jess, make sure she was okay.  
"Zo?" Nick said, poking his head through the door. "Everything okay?"  
"Yeah, fine." Zoe said, getting up and walking over to him.  
"She will be alright Zoe." Nick walked in and hugged her.  
"I know." Zoe sighed. "I just want her to wake up, so we know no lasting damage has been made..."  
"I want that too Zo but we can't hurry it up. She will come round in her own time, okay?"

Zoe spun around hearing a quiet groan. Her and Nick rushed over and Zoe took hold of Jess's hand.  
"Jess?" Zoe asked, watching her scrunch her face. "Jess can you hear me?"  
"Hm." She said quietly, and shifted around a little bit. Nick put his arm around Zoe and they waited for her to open her eyes.

A little while later, Jess's eyes fluttered open and she looked around for a minute. Her eyes began to water and Zoe wiped her cheek.  
"Why am I here?" She asked. "What did I do?"  
"You didn't do anything." Zoe smiled. "The ghost did."  
"The ghost?" Jess asked, looking confused. She thought about it for a moment. "Oh, the ghost."  
"You remember?" Nick asked.  
"I remember lying on the floor in my bedroom..." She said, and closed her eyes as she thought. "And tea? Did it burn me?"  
"Yes it did but that was quite a long time ago." Zoe said. "Do you remember anything else?"

Jess sat there for a few minutes trying to think, but she couldn't remember. She as getting frustrated and she tried to lift her arm.  
"Woah no keep that there." Zoe said, pushing the cast slowly back onto the bed.  
"Why does my arm hurt?" Jess asked, and she looked at the cast. "What happened to me?"  
"The ghost, it pushed you down the stairs." Zoe sighed. "You broken your arm."  
"I did?"  
"Yes." Nick said, seeing her reach up to her head. "Nope." He grabbed her hand and pushed it back down. "You cut it. Don't touch it."  
"How bad did I break it?" Jess said. "My arm?"  
"It pretty much snapped both bones." Zoe said. "You had surgery to fix it."  
"Surgery?" Jess asked.  
"Yes."  
"What about my head?" She asked, feeling it ache.  
"You hit it pretty hard as you fell." Zoe explained. "You've been out of it for a week now."  
"A whole week!?" Jess said loudly.  
"You were in a coma." Nick said and saw Jess's eyes widen. "Don't worry. There isn't anything wrong."  
"I, I was in a coma?" Jess asked, tears falling faster.  
"Yes but don't worry." Zoe said sympathetically. "You are okay now. Get some rest."  
"Okay." Jess said, as she was rather tired. She didn't understand why as she had been asleep for over a week.  
"Rest and I will be back later. I need to get back to work but if you need me, ill be here." Zoe said.  
"Stay?" She asked. "Until I get to sleep?"  
"Sure." Zoe smiled at Jess and Jess shut her eyes while her mother held her hand and watched her.

Zoe waited until Jess's breathing evened out before leaving, and Jess made no attempt to move so Zoe knew she was asleep. Zoe went back out to cubicles in a good mood as Jess had finally woken.  
"Someones happy." Tess smiled.  
"Yeah I sure am!" Zoe smiled.  
"Why?" Tess grinned.  
"Jess is no longer in a coma." She smiled. "Still a bit out of it though."  
"Understandable." Tess said. "She needs rest."  
"I told her." Zoe said. "Will you mind if I just go and tell Sam to check her over?"  
"No go ahead." Tess smiled.  
"Thank you." Zoe said, and went to go and find Sam. She found her in the staff room.

"Jess woke up." Zoe poked her head through the door. "She is sleeping though as she was a bit tired."  
"Okay, i'll go and check her over." Sam smiled.  
"Thank you Sam." Zoe said, going back to cubicles and getting her shift over with.

Nick had gone back to the hotel they were both staying at and Zoe was staying with Jess for a little bit. Jess slept up until eleven, when Zoe was about to leave. She was just getting her bag as Nick had picked her up, and then Jess began to stir.  
"Picks her timing doesn't she." Nick laughed and Zoe smiled. Sam walked in too.  
"She awake?" Sam asked, looking at her.  
"Nearly." Zoe smiled and they all walked over.

Jess opened her eyes a little while later.  
"How are you feeling?" Sam asked.  
"Sick." She said. "I have a headache."  
"You do?" Sam asked. "Ill get you more pain relief.

Zoe could see what was coming, so she got a cardboard bowl and handed it to Jess just in time. Sam was glad.  
"We will do a CT scan to see if the swelling has gone down, but that can wait until tomorrow. Im going to give you some more pain relief and then hopefully you will get a good nights sleep." Sam said to Jess. "That sound okay?"  
"Yeah." Jess nodded as she wiped her mouth.  
"Well, we had betterget going." Zoe said and looked at Nick.  
"Don't go to the house." Jess said, worried.  
"Don't worry, we won't." Zoe said. "We have been staying at a hotel."  
"Good." Jess said, I don't want... You too..." She yawned. "Get hurt too." Her eyelids drooped with the medication.  
"Sweet dreams." Nick said and kissed her forehead before she fell asleep.  
"Thanks Sam." Zoe smiled. "Right then. Shall we go?"  
"Okay." Nick said, and they walked out together.


	16. Chapter 16

A few days later, Jess was still recovering in hospital, but had finally seemed a little bit happier not that she had more energy.

Today was the day that the ghost group were spending the night at the house, so Nick was gathering the videos on his phone onto a memory stick and put it on the laptop ready for them.

Later that night, Nick met the group outside the house.  
"Mind if I show you what happened before you go in?" Nick asked. "I really don't want to go back in there."  
"Thats fine." One of them said.  
"Your going to have fun in here tonight, let me tell you that!" Nick laughed, and turned the laptop round and let them watch all the footage. Nick was amused at how excited they seemed.  
"Wow, lots of activity." One said, who Nick noticed was carrying a ouija board.  
"You know that." Nick pointed at it. "My daughter found one of them in her room, and before they did anything, everything went crazy." Nick said. "Its still up there. You can feel free to use it if you want."  
"That would be great thanks." Another man said.  
"Be careful..." Nick warned. "You see this?" He pointed to the cut on his head. "That happened in there. Threw a glass at me."  
"Really?" The first man said.  
"Yes." Nick said. "My daughter is still in a coma."  
"Well we wish her a speedy recovery." The group said. "Can we get started?"  
"Sure, go ahead." Nick said, giving him the keys. "Ill be at Premier Inn near to Holby City ED. You know the one?"  
"Yes." One replied.  
"Room 106." Nick said. "Enjoy..."  
"Im sure we will." Another said, and the excitement was clear on his face.

Nick left them to it, and went to go and see Jess at the hospital.

As he got there, Zoe came out to meet him. She seemed to be in a good mood. She hugged him as she saw him, and kissed him.  
"Did they get there?"  
"They sure did, and they looked excited." Nick said, with a look of disbelief. "I wouldn't want to go back in until it was ghost free."  
"One, its their job, and two, they enjoy it." Zoe laughed. "Come on."  
"You're in a great mood." Nick said to her.  
"I know." Zoe said. "Makes a change doesn't it?"  
"Why?" Nick asked. "Why the good mood?" He smiled, seeing Zoe grin. "That smile...I love it."  
"I can't wait for the ghost to be gone." Zoe smiled. "I can't wait to get home."  
"I can't wait to get Jess home." Nick grinned and kissed Zoe.  
"Same." Zoe kissed him deeply. "Jess is asleep... Want to go for a quick drink?"  
"Sure." Nick smiled, as they walked towards the pub. "Just don't get me drunk. I need to speak to the group again later."  
"Don't worry. Thats why I said quick drink." Zoe smiled, and they entered the pub.

The pub was beginning to fill as it was the evening now, and Zoe had ordered Nick a pint and herself a vodka and orange.  
"So." Zoe grinned after sipping the drink.  
"I love that smile." Nick said, smiling.  
"I like that one." She kissed him and he laughed.  
"You really are in a good mood." He laughed, and tucked her hair behind her ear.  
"I know." She smiled. "I like it."  
"So do I." Nick said. "Im happy as soon as I see you are."  
"Aww." Zoe smiled and Nick put his arm around her. "I love you." Nick smiled and kissed her forehead.  
"I love you too." He said. "Has Jess been alright?"  
"She's been fine." Zoe said. "Tired, but okay."  
"She was tired earlier. Didn't get a very good nights sleep." Nicksaid.  
"I know." Zoe sighed. "She can't wait to get into her own bed bless her."  
"If I were her, i'd feel the same." Nick smiled and sipped more of his pint.  
"I know." Zoe grinned, and Nick smiled as she smiled.

Zoe finished her drink and waited for Nick to finish his, and she looked at Nick as he drank it.  
"Want to go and see Jess, or shall we go to the hotel for a little?" She asked. "I know you have to get up at like three in the morning to go and meet them."  
"Can we go to the hotel?" Nick asked. "I want to get a bit of sleep before I have to get up."  
"Sure." Zoe said, and watched Nick drink the last of his drink before they made their way backto the hotel.

A little while later, Nick was ready to get some sleep, as was Zoe. Both were knackered so they were glad to get some sleep.  
"Come on." Nick said as he layed in bed. He patted Zoe's side of the bed and she got in next to him. She layed her head on his chest as he played with her hair.  
"I love you." She said. "Wake me up when you leave? I don't want to panic not seeing you there."  
"I will, don't worry." Nick said as he set his alarm. "I love you too." Zoe smiled before she fell asleep on Nicks chest and Nick watched her for a little while before falling asleep himself.


	17. Chapter 17

Quicker than he had hoped for, the alarm was going off, waking Nick from his slumber. Zoe was still asleep with her head on his chest, and he didnt want to wake her until just before he left, but he was going to have to move. He reached over and turned off the alarm, and he thought he had down it without waking Zoe, but she began to stir.  
"Nick?" She murmured. "Nick?"  
"Im here. Im getting up now." He yawned, and got dressed, and zoe sat up and copied. "Where are you going?"  
"Im coming with you." Zoe yawned and Nick sighed.  
"Get some sleep Zo." Nick said.  
"Im coming with you." Zoe said again and put her clothes on. Nick continued to get dressed.

Both decided it was too early to eat anything, so they left the house and got into the car. Zoe fell asleep in the passenger seat on the way there, and Nick was drinking a coffee to keep himself up. They arrived at the house twenty minutes later.

Zoe woke up as the car stopped.  
"Have a good nap?" Nick smiled.  
"I guess." She laughed and wiped her eyes. "Didn't even realise I fell asleep."  
"Stay in here if you want and sleep. I can go and sort them out." Nick said, looking at Zoe.  
"Nah im coming." Zoe said, and got out of the car.

Nick saw the group get out of the house and all had smiles on their faces.  
"That was the best house we have ever been to." One said. "More activity than even Pendle Hill!"  
"Really?" Nick raised an eyebrow.  
"Yes!" He smiled. "We got rid of it for you."  
"You did?" Nick said as Zoe leaned on Nick smiling faintly.  
"Yes we did." The group nodded. "It was hard work, but we did it."  
"Walk in now and you will feel the difference in the atmosphere." Another member said.  
"Can we?" Nick asked, and looked at Zoe, and she nodded. They walked inside.

The house was different now. No tense atmosphere; it felt relaxed. Zoe sighed with relief as she walked in.  
"Wow." She said quietly, still half asleep. "Its finally the house we've been dreaming of."  
"We can stay here tonight if you want to." Nick said, but Zoe shook her head.  
"The hotel was good." Zoe looked. "Please can we stay there until Jess is better? We are closer to her then."  
"Sure we can." Nick smiled and kissed Zoe on her forehead. "Lets go back to the hotel and get you into bed, shall we?"  
"Yeah." Zoe said, clinging onto Nick, and walked with him to the car. As soon as she had her seatbelt on, she fell back to sleep almost instantly.

Nick turned off his music and listened to Zoe's breathing as he drove as he found this comforting. He looked at her every so often to make sure she was resting and they soon arrived at the hotel.

Nick couldn't bring himself to wake her, so he gently lifted her out of the car and carried her up to the room. She woke briefly and put her arms around Nicks neck, but soon drifted off again before Nickmanaged to get her into the bed. He layed her down and tucked her in, before getting dressed and getting in next to her.

The next morning, Nick woke and looked at Zoe. He saw her watching him.  
"Hey." She smiled and kissed him.  
"Sleep well?" Nick asked.  
"Yeah." Zoe said. "Well, I don't even remember getting back from the house."  
"You slept in the car and I carried you up here." Nick laughed.  
"Thats why i'm not in my pyjamas." Zoe smiled and yawned.  
"How long have you been awake?"  
"Maybe a few minutes." Zoe said. "Its now nine."  
"Shall we get down the hospital and see Jess?" Nick asked. "I bet she's bored."  
"Yeah I bet she is." Zoe said and then coughed.  
"You okay?" Nick patted her back for her.  
"Yeah..." Zoe said. "I think im coming down with something." Nick whipped his hand up to her forehead.  
"Hmm." Nick said. "Your a bit warm."  
"Im fine." Zoe smiled. "Trust me. Just a cough."  
"No headache?"  
"Nope." Zoe smiled.  
"Okay." Nick said. "Do you want to stay and rest? Im sure Jess would understand."  
"No im fine." Zoe said. "Its probably just from being up in the middle of the night."  
"I guess so." Nick said, and got dressed. "Tell me if you feel worse?"  
"I will." Zoe laughed. "I know what to do. I am a doctor after all."  
"I know." Nick said. "Coffee?"  
"Sure." Zoe said, and Nick made some as she got dressed.

They got to the hospital to find Jess awake and texting.  
"Hey." Jess smiled. "They said I could go today!"  
"Thats great!" Zoe said and coughed. "We bring good news."  
"What?" Jess smiled.  
"Ghost is gone!" Zoe smiled and hugged Jess.  
"Yay!" Jess said and hugged Zoe back.  
"They took out the IV?" Nick asked, seeing the bandage on Jess's hand.  
"Yeah." Jess said. "Im so glad. It ached."  
"It would but it did you good." Nick smiled and kissed Jess on the forehead. "What time did they say you could leave?"  
"Well, Sam just did final checks and..." Jess said and Sam then walked in.  
"Clear!" She smiled. "Everythings fine. You are free to go." Jess grinned. "Be careful with that arm. Don't get the cast wet, don't hit it..."  
"I know." Jess laughed. "I don't like pain!"  
"No one does!" Zoe said. "Come on. Lets get you in some clothes and out of that gown."  
"Okay." Jess said.

A few minutes later, Jess was dressed and ready to leave, and Nick was signing the discharge forms.  
"Here is some pain killers for her back as it is still a bit bruised, so be careful with that." Sam said, handing over a prescription.  
"Thank you." Zoe said, coughing and taking the bag from Sam.  
"You okay Zoe? Got a cold?" Sam asked.  
"Yeah I do." Zoe smiled. "I was up early to go to the house."  
"Ah, well get some rest and then you'll be fine." Sam smiled.  
"Thanks." Zoe smiled and hugged Sam. "Thanks for looking after her Sam. I don't know what I would have done without your help."  
"Don't worry about it." Sam said. "It was my pleasure."  
"I mean it." Zoe said. "We are going out for a drink one night, and its all on me!" Sam laughed.  
"Thank you." Sam said. "Ill look forward to that! Have fun."  
"We will." Nick said. "Thank you."  
"Bye guys." Sam waved. "By Jess."  
"Bye!" They all waved, and they made their way home.


	18. Chapter 18

(Sorry to the reviewer that said their reviews didn't show up... I hadnt been on and I hadn't deleted them or had the chance to moderate them as I was on my phone!)

Jess stepped foot through the door and she knew something had changed. It seemed almost warm to her now, not the cold and scary house it used to be. She walked through the door and smiled.  
"Its so much better." Jess smiled. "It just feels...better."  
"I know what you mean." Zoe laughed. "I felt it too."  
"And me." Nick said. "Now, tonight, just as a test, im sleeping in your room again. You will sleep with your mother again."  
"Okay." Jess smiled. "Cool."  
"Im so glad you're back at home." Zoe smiled and hugged Jess, being careful of her cast.  
"Im glad to be home too." Jess said. Nick smiled. "Dad?"  
"Yeah?"  
"Can I see what happened on the video? You know, the night I fell down the stairs?"  
"Do you really want to?" Nick asked. He was confused. Why would she want to see herself fall down the stairs?  
"Yes." Jess said. "Please? Ive been thinking about it ever since I woke up in the hospital."  
"Really?" Nick asked.  
"Yeah." Jess said.  
"Well, there is the camera from the hallway up there which caught you being pushed, then the camera in the kitchen that caught you falling."  
"Can I see both?" Jess asked. "Upstairs one first?"  
"Jess do you really want to?" Zoe asked. "Ive seen it... Its not nice."  
"Yeah I want to see it." Jess said, and Nick sighed. He turned on the computer, and got the video set up.  
"Ready?" Nick asked, and he played her both videos.  
"Woah." Jess said.  
"You scared the life out of us!" Zoe said, tears in her eyes. "Sorry, I can't watch it."  
"Mum i'm fine though." Jess said.  
"I know but it was horrible." Zoe said. "We thought you had broken your back."  
"But I didn't."  
"Thats not the point." Zoe said. "Im going for a shower."  
"Okay." Nick said, and kissed her before she went.

In the shower, Zoe thought about everything. The house was now there house that they had wanted, and there were no ghosts to ruin it for them. But. But what? She was worried that the ghost would come back, even worse this time. She thought about the house. Surelyif they found this one, another would be there somewhere. Sure, they thought this was the perfect house, but there might be another.

She thought and thought, and came to a decision that she would talk through with Nick. She finished her shower, got dressed and went down to him.  
"Nick. Ive been thinking." She said, and Nick could see the thought on her face.  
"What?" He asked, slightly concerned.  
"Why don't we just move?" She asked. "I know we like this house but there are too many bad memories here."  
"But we just got it all sorted." Nick said. "I thought you liked this house." Zoe ran her hand through her wet hair.  
"I do." She said. "Its just, everytime I see that staircase, I see Jess at the bottom."  
"Oh Zoe." Nick said and hugged her. "Everything will be fine now."  
"How do you know?" Zoe asked.  
"The group came, got rid of it, and now this is our house. No one elses." Nick said. "If you really want to move, then we will." Zoe sighed.  
"I love this house, I really do." Zoe said. "I just don't know if it would be for the best of not if we moved."  
"I like this house Zoe." Nick said. "Come on. Can we give it another chance? Please?"  
"Sure." Zoe said almost instantly. "If you want to stay, we can stay."  
"I don't want you to be unhappy Zoe." Nick said.  
"No." Zoe said. "Lets at least try this, and then if it works, we stay."  
"Yeah?" Nick smiled.  
"Yeah." Zoe said, slightly paranoid. Nick kissed her, and it made her feel better. Nick could tell that her mind was elsewhere.  
"It will be fine Zoe." Nick said to her and held her close. "I promise you."  
"You do?" Nick asked.  
"Yes." He said. "Everything will be fine now."

That night, Jess slept with Zoe in Zoe and Nicks room, and Nick slept in Jess's bedroom. Nick woke first in the morning, and the first thing he would do was check Zoe and Jess. He walked in slowly, and saw them both sound asleep. He smiled, went downstairs, and began to make breakfast.

He cooked it for them, walked upstairs with it and put it on the bed before waking them up.  
"Zoe, Jess." He said, and Zoe stirred first.  
"Hmm whats that smell?" She said as she woke. She sat up and saw the breakfast. "Oh, someones been busy!"  
"Yeah I have!" Nick said. "I had a goodnight sleep. Did you?"  
"I slept fine." Zoe smiled and shook Jess a little to get her to wake. She saw the food and woke up.  
"Oh!" She smiled. "Bacon! My favourite!"  
"I know." Nick smiled and handed hers over.

So finally, they had their house back. But how long was it going to last?...

(Thats it! Unless I do another :D Thanks all for reading!)


End file.
